It's easy in this modern age to jump right to drugs or surgery for stubborn back pain, but there are many other options to consider before going under the knife. Scientists from the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle tested two mind-body therapy techniques for the reduction of low back pain and found positive results. Mindfulness-based stress reduction and cognitive behavioral therapy have both been shown to be helpful when patients don't respond to other therapies. In the study, 342 adults were split into three groups to either cognitive therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, or no therapy at all. For the two groups in therapy, more than half saw meaningful improvement to their pain. Though many may brush off these alternative treatments, an open-minded doctor could find that these methods may have some benefit for patients for whom nothing else works. Safe, natural care for back and spinal pain from natural therapies, including those provided by doctors of chiropractic, can be a new treatment option for many. These alternative natural therapies are not only effective, they have the benefit of virtually no side effects or recovery time, unlike standard treatments.

Danish scientists recently found that time spent sitting is linked to developing type 2 diabetes, but generally only among people who are inactive or obese. Those who sit for more than 10 hours a day saw a 35 percent heightened risk of diabetes, but those who had a healthy weight and exercised saw that risk minimized, even with prolonged sitting. The risk of developing diabetes was completely eliminated when people moderately or vigorously exercised for at least 150 minutes per week. During the study period, those who sat for more than 10 hours a day were also more likely to be generally physically inactive, drink alcohol, smoke, and be overweight. So if you can't avoid sitting at work, there is evidence that getting a few hours of moderate exercise per week outside the office along with a healthy weight can protect you from developing type 2 diabetes. But there is still much to gain by breaking up your sitting time with short periods of movement. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, it's important to move your body often. Take breaks, walk around the office, and get exercise when you can. Reducing your level of sitting and adding more activity is a smart way to stay healthy for life.

Pain medications can often come with a long list of possible side effects ranging from manageable to severe. Recently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent have focused in on the overuse of opioids for chronic pain. It's a serious matter, as at least 40 people in the U.S. die each day from an overdose of these strong drugs. The number of people on these drugs has quadrupled since 1999, fueling a crisis in side effects and misuse. In a new set of guidelines, the CDC is urging non-opioid therapy for the management of chronic pain along with the lowest possible effective dose when it can't be avoided. The side effects for these powerful drugs can include physical dependence, increased sensitivity to pain, confusion, depression, and many others. The American Chiropractic Association is encouraging patients to look at chiropractic therapy as a safer, alternative tool to opioids used to treat back, spinal and other soft tissue related pains. With virtually no side effects, alternative therapies can reduce or even eliminate the need for strong drugs.